1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aligning apparatus for receiving to align semiconductor devices with a predetermined interval from each other in a semiconductor device test handler, and more particularly, to an aligning apparatus in a semiconductor device test handler aligning semiconductor devices to leave a predetermined interval from each other before the semiconductors to be tested in the handler are reloaded on a test tray or when the tested semiconductors are unloaded from the test tray.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, devices such as memory semiconductor devices, n-memory semiconductor devices, and the like and modules having such devices arranged on a single substrate to construct circuits are inspected by various tests for shipment. A handler is an apparatus used for testing the devices, the module RAMs, and the like automatically.
Most of the handlers carry out not only general performance tests at room temperature but also high and low temperature tests to check whether the devices, the module RAMs, or the like operate normally by building up environments at extremely high or low temperature through an electric heater or a liquefied nitrogen jetting system in an airtight chamber.
FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a handler for testing semiconductor devices.
Referring to FIG. 1, a loading stacker 10, on which user trays receiving a plurality of semiconductor devices to be tested are loaded, is installed in a front part of the handler. And, an unloading stacker 20 is installed at one side of the loading stacker 10 so that the tested semiconductor devices are classified by test results to be received in the user trays.
Buffer units 40, on which the semiconductor devices transferred from the loading stacker 10 are temporarily loaded, are installed to move back and forth at both sides of a middle part of the handler. And, an exchange unit 50 is installed between the buffer units 40. In the exchange unit 50, carried out are a process of transferring to reload the test-expecting semiconductor devices of the buffer unit 40 on test trays T and another process of loading the tested semiconductor devices of the test trays on the buffer units 40.
Between the handler front part, on which the loading and unloading stackers 10 and 20 are arranged, and the handler middle part, on which the exchange and buffer units 50 and 40 are arranged, first and second pickers 31 and 32 moving linearly along an X-Y axis to pick up to transport the semiconductor devices are installed. The first picker 31 moves between the loading/unloading stackers 10/20 and the buffer units 40 to pick up to transport the semiconductor devices, and the second picker 32 moves between the buffer units 40 and the exchange unit 50 to pick up to transport the semiconductor devices.
In a rear part of the handler, installed is a test site 70 for testing a semiconductor device performance at a predetermined temperature by conveying the test trays T having the semiconductor devices loaded thereon sequentially after high or low temperature test environments have been built in a plurality of separate airtight chambers divided into a preheating chamber 71, a test chamber 72, and a defrosting chamber 73.
Meanwhile, in the exchange unit 50, although not shown in the drawing, installed are a pair of aligners each of which has device landing recesses having the same pitch of a device loading carrier of the test tray T, a lower pushing unit loading the semiconductor devices on the test tray in horizontal level by the operations of absorbing the semiconductor devices by suction through passing holes of the device landing recesses of each of the aligners and lifting each of the aligners through several steps, and an upper pushing unit separating the semiconductor devices from the test tray by pushing the semiconductor devices from an upper side of the test tray to load the semiconductor devices on the aligners.
However, since each of the aligners in the handler according to the related art is coupled with the lower pushing unit in one body to move back and forth to carry out its function, it takes quite a long time to move to load the aligned semiconductor toward the test tray. Hence, an overall test time increases.